Unravelling the potential benefits of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) in cropping systems, nutritional, health, and industrial uses of its seeds – a review

Figures & data

Figure 1. Sesame plants and its seeds (Wacal, 2019).

Figure 2. World’s top ten leading sesame seed producers in 2021.

Table 1. The area harvest, production and yield by continent in 2021.

Continent	Area harvested (ha)	Production (tons)	Yield (kg/ha)
Africa	7,007,345	336,2247	490
Asia	3,985,070	2,343,395	588
America	335,665	214,976	647
Caribbean	15,364	4,127	269
Europe	383	451	1,143

Figure 3. Trends in sesame production and area harvested in the world between 2012 and 2021.

Table 2. The top 10 world leading sesame seed exporters and importers in 2021.

Exporters			Importers
Country	Export quantity (tons)	Export value (1000 USD)	Country	Import quantity (tons)	Import value (1000 USD)
Sudan	289,465	350,112	China, mainland	1,173,618	1,541,153
India	260,463	421,536	Türkiye	202,614	284,816
Ethiopia	185,528	286,042	Japan	150,975	213,148
Myanmar	171,997	341,791	Republic of Korea	86,923	151,900
Pakistan	160,428	214,098	Israel	66,770	101,779
Nigeria	138,333	170,996	Iran (Islamic Republic of)	60,700	90,000
United Republic of Tanzania	133,462	149,326	Saudi Arabia	48,274	67,611
Chad	91,940	116,970	Viet Nam	44,538	69,247
Mozambique	89,710	83,960	China, Taiwan Province of	43,142	62,791
Brazil	65,103	79,639	Germany	40,932	83,555

Table 3. Seed proximate composition of sesame grown in different parts of the world.

Crude protein (%)	Crude fat (%)	Carbohydrate (%)	Crude fiber (%)	Ash (%)	Moisture (%)	Reference
23.11	51.58	10.46	5.98	5.36	3.51	Zebib et al. (2015)
37.24	47.18	1.60	4.03	8.82	3.71	El–Khier et al. (2008)
22.30	58.52	5.64	7.03	3.25	2.96	Hassan (2012)
26.23	52.70	9.77	3.56	5.83	1.91	Olagunju & Ifesan (2013)
20.55	̶	̶	3.30	4.27	4.21	Asghar et al. (2014)
19.31	39.08	18.11	11.82	6.20	4.47	Wada et al. (2021)
24.79	49.81	9.12	5.95	5.62	3.46	Mean

Table 4. Mineral content of different Sesame seeds (mg/100 g) across the world.

P	K	Ca	Mg	Fe	Cu	Zn	Mn	Reference
442.94	336.75	464.97	399.65	6.42	̶	7.97	1.5	Makinde and Akinoso (2014)
784.64	743.50	424.66	313.08	10.26	1.02	3.80	3.46	Deme et al. (2017)
645.10	686.08	1501.72	455.90	10.52	2.10	9.60	5.30	Tenyang et al. (2016)
518.65	729.05	724.75	467.15	8.91	1.42	6.51	2.40	Wacal et al. (2019c)
597.83	623.84	779.02	408.95	9.03	1.51	6.97	3.16	Mean

Table 5. Fatty acid composition (%) of sesame seeds across the world.

Palmitic (%) (C16:0)	Stearic (%) (C18:0)	Oleic (%)(C18:1)	Linoleic (%)(C18:2)	Linolenic (%) (C18:3)	Arachidic (%) (C20:0)	SFA (%)	MUFA (%)	PUFA (%)	References
5.60	5.30	40.30	46.10	0.40	0.50	12.8	40.70	46.50	Hama (2017)
10.10	4.72	41.06	43.24	0.36	0.50	15.23	41.30	43.60	Dar et al. (2019)
6.70	̶	33.65	34.00	1.38	̶	9.95	17.85	18.70	Wacal et al. (2019d)
8.25	4.89	37.60	47.77	0.45	0.50	̶	̶	̶	Were et al. (2006)
8.65	5.45	43.02	46.25	̶	0.85	̶	̶	̶	Nzikou et al. (2009)
10.07	6.38	38.35	44.00	̶	0.61	̶	̶	̶	Agidew et al. (2021)
8.27	5.69	39.34	43.85	0.36	0.61	̶	̶	̶	Matthäus & Özcan (2018)
9.44	5.28	39.32	43.08	0.32	0.55	̶	̶	̶	Kurt (2018)
8.72	6.69	43.42	40.14	0.91	0.64	15.94	43.77	40.29	Zahran et al. (2020)
8.42	5.55	39.56	43.16	0.60	0.60	13.48	35.91	37.27	Mean

Table 6. Amino acid profile of Sesame seeds.

S/N	Amino (%)	Nweke et al. (2011)	Ahmed et al. (2020)	Yüzer and Gençcelep (2023)	Mean
1	Arginine	4.31	2.43	4.33	3.69
2	Alanine	1.56	0.90	11.86	4.77
3	Aspartic	2.65	1.63	6.92	3.73
4	Cysteine	0.16	0.40	1.57	0.71
5	Glutamic	7.12	3.52	17.78	9.47
6	Glycine	1.70	0.98	2.26	1.65
7	Histidine	0.87	0.48	2.51	1.29
8	Isoleucine	1.30	0.73	2.32	1.45
9	Leucine	2.25	1.32	5.68	3.08
10	Lysine	0.91	0.58	2.82	1.44
11	Methionine	0.93	0.64	2.78	1.45
12	Ornithine	̶	0.01	̶	0.01
13	Phenylalanine	1.55	0.86	4.47	2.29
14	Proline	1.20	0.68	3.55	1.81
15	Serine	1.52	0.89	4.21	2.21
16	Threonine	1.19	̶	3.45	2.32
17	Tyrosine	1.27	0.64	2.90	1.60
18	Tryptophan	̶	0.13	̶	0.13
19	Valine	1.60	0.90	3.52	2.01

Table 7. Sesame lignin contents in seeds.

Sesamin (mg/g)	Sesamolin (mg/g)	Sesamol (mg/g)	Total lignin (mg/g)	References
9.47	1.74	0.30	11.51	Wu, 2007
2.65	1.65	0.44	4.74	Dar et al., 2015
0.78	0.23	̶	8.18	Kim et al., 2014
1.26	1.18	̶	4.15	Shi et al., 2017
1.55	0.62	̶	2.17	Rangkadilok et al., 2010
3.14	1.08	0.37	6.15	Mean

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Data availability statement

The data supporting the findings of this study are available within the manuscript.